Apparatus for washing dishes



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United States Patent O 3,504,683 APPARATUS FOR WASHING DISHES Henry Timmer, Grand Rapids, Charles D. Leedy, Sparta,

and Frederick R. Hoop, Jeuison, Mich., assignors to Arthur W. Carlson, Muskegon, and Theodore Schaap and Henry Timmer, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Filed Jan. 9, 1967, Ser. No. 608,187 Int. Cl. BOSf 3/00 U.S. Cl. 134-172 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dishwashing chamber having reciprocating nozzle grid provided in the bottom of the dishwashing chamber which traverses back and forth across the bottom of the chamber and sprays the dishes positioned therewithin. The nozzle grid is driven by means of a flexible, stainless steel cable Which also supplies water, detergent and the like to the nozzles. The nozzle grid is pressurized by means of a pump and the water flows directly out of the drain after running off of the dishes and the sides of the tub. The relatively high pressure under which the Water emits from the nozzle grid negates the necessity of recirculating the wash water in order to operate the unit economically.

The washing cycle is completed by means of a hot rinse. The water for this rinse is heated in a special water heating enclosure having a circular jacket and an elongated heating element positioned therein. A balle plate is provided adjacent the outlet to thoroughly mix the water as it issues therefrom. The rinse Water is sprayed through the high pressure grid assembly directly onto the dishes and then allowed to flow out of the drain and, thus, no recirculation occurs. After completion of the rinse, a germicidal lamp assembly positioned without the enclosure transmits light thereinto via a window to completely sterilize the dishes and the inside of the dishwashing chamber.

BACKGROUND In the art of automatic dishwashing, it is customary to utilize a so-called high-volume, low-pressure process wherein the wash and rinse water is sprayed initially onto the dishes, collected in the bottom of the chamber and then recirculated until Such time as it is thoroughly spent and the dishes are clean. The water is emitted usually by means of a stationary nozzle system or rotating Ablade under the inuence of ordinary household water pressure. This Water strikes the dishes in rather large droplets, flows to the bottom of the chamber, and is then recirculated. Dishwashing results obtained from this process have not been satisfactory, entirely, since a marked tendency exists for the recirculation system to recirculate food particles and other waste matters as well as the water itself. Thus, food particles washed from the dishes initially may be redeposited thereon during the recirculation period.

Problems have been encountered also in attempting to position the stationary nozzles in such a manner that all portions of the surface area of the dishes positioned within the enclosure are subjected to the stream of Water. For example, a dish such as a soup bowl positioned vertically Within the chamber will be only partially impinged upon by a vertical stream of water. If a horizontal stream is provided, it is likely to be interrupted by other dishes prior to reaching the particular bowl in question. Thus, many parts of the dishes washed in this manner are not thoroughly cleaned.

The high-volume, low-pressure concept also necessitates the elapse of a fairly substantial period of time from beginning of the washing cycle to final completion of the process. The water must be impinged against the dishes "ice time and time again to thoroughly dissolve dried food particles thereon and, as noted above, such impingement is effective only on those portions of the dish areas exposed directly to the spray.

Additional problems have ben encountered in attempting to provide a hot, continuous rinse for the dishes immediately prior to completion of the washing cycle. Insofar as applicants are aware, a satisfactory booster heating unit has not been available heretofore which was capable of continuously raising the temperature of the incoming water to the desirable degree. This problem has been complicated by the necessity of recirculating the rinse water, thus allowing it to cool during the rinsing process. As a result, the dishes are not subjected to a hoty rinse at the completion of the dishwashing cycle and any germs, food particles and the like remaining within the chamber may eventually contaminate the supposedly clean dishes prior to their reusage.

OBJECTS AND SPECIFICATION It is an object of this invention to provide a novel dishwashing apparatus which is not subject to the disadvantages outlined above.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a dishwashing apparatus wherein the washing or rinse water is not recirculated during the dishwashing cycle, and, thus, where food particles washed from the dishes are immediately channeled into the proper drain receptacle.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device of the type described embodying a novel, reciprocating nozzle grid capable of emitting a high-pressure stream which effectively impinges on all surface areas of the dishes in the chamber during the washing and rinsing cycles.

Thus, it is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus of the type described wherein thorough cleansing of the dishes may be effected in a substantially shorter period of time than that now necessary for conventional dishwashers and wherein water usage is minimized by a process of utilizing a high-pressure, lowvolume washing and rinsing process.

These as well as other objects of this invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art with reference to the following specification and accompanying figures in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the novel kitchen unit omitting the nozzle assembly for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, perspective view, partially in cross section, of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 with the dish retaining rack omitted and the nozzle assembly shown;

FIG. 3 is a schematic, plan view of the unit illustrating particularly the nozzle grid assembly;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, side-elevational view, partially in cross section, of the nozzle assembly;

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of the nozzle drive assembly indicating the Various positions thereof in phantom;

FIG. 6 is a side-elevational view of the novel booster heater assembly;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along plane VII-VII of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an exemplary block diagram of a typical wiring and piping scheme for the unit; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration indicating the manner in which the spray from the nozzles strike the dishes positioned within the rack.

Briefly, the nozzle assembly or grid is positioned within the dishwashing chamber and comprises a plurality of nozzles directed toward the rack and arranged to reciprocate back and forth within the chamber during the washing and rinsing cycle. Preferably, the nozzle grid is driven by means of a exible conduit which also supplies water, detergent and the like to the grid during the washing and rinsing sequences.

A high-pressure pump is connected in series with the nozzle arrangement and the wash and rinse water is channeled directly to the drain without being recirculated after impinging upon the dishes and interior of the chamber. A booster heater, adapted to receive a continuous stream of water and raise the temperature thereof to a predetermined maximum during passage therethrough, is arranged such that it may be selectively valved into series with the pump and nozzle unit. This booster unit is activated during the rinsing process and the heated water is channeled directly into the drain after striking the dishes during the rinsing sequence.

In order to provide maximum sterility within the chamber, a germicidal lamp is positioned in ray-communicating relationship with respect to the interior of the chamber. Preferably, the lamp is of a type capable of emitting light rays in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum. This lamp is activated upon completion of the washing and rinsing cycles and functions to destroy any remaining bacteria within the chamber which might recontaminate, over a period of time, dishes left therein.

Referring now to the figures, a preferred embodiment of this invention will be described. The details of the overall combination are described in copending application Ser. No. 600,948, filed Jan. 9, 1967, and the disclosure of that application is incorporated specifically by reference herein. These details will be broadly described in conjunction with the specification of the instant application but for purposes of brevity, will not be referred to in great detail.

Referring initially to Figs. 1 and 3, the novel, multipurpose kitchen unit comprises a cabinet 11 having a front panel 12, side panels 13, a recessed kick panel 14 and an upstanding control panel 15. The timer and selector unit 16 is positioned on the control panel 15 as indicated. Preferably, a removable rear panel 17 is provided on the unit to permit access thereto for servicing, installation and the like.

The dishwashing chamber 20 is positioned within cabinet 11 as indicated and comprises an open-topped tub 21 which preferably has a reflective interior such as that provided by stainless steel when the unit is to be utilized in conjunction With the germicidal lamp to be discussed hereinafter. The tub 21 is provided with a forward viewing window 22 which, of course, also corn- -rnunicates to the exterior of the front panel 12 on cabinet 11. The rear of the tub is provided with a germicidal light window 23 which, when utilized in conjunction with the germicidal light, must be fabricated from a type of glass capable of passing light rays in the ultraviolet region. The tub 21 has a conventional drain 24 positioned therein which communicates into the disposal unit to be discussed hereinafter.

Referring now additionally to FIGS. 3 through 5, the nozzle assembly 3()` comprises a pair of rails 31 (omitted from FIG. 3 for purposes of clarity) which are affixed into the depending side walls of chamber 21 in the manner indicated best in FIGS. 2 and 4. Reciprocally mounted on rails 31 by means of slide bearings 32 is the nozzle grid assembly 33. The nozzle grid 33 comprises a pair of tubular support sections 34 and a pair of tubular nozzle sections 35 which intercommunicate in water conducting relationship in rectangular form. Tubular support sections 34 also have nozzles 38 allxed thereto which spray upwardly and convergingly to further insure thorough cleaning of the dishes positioned within the rack. A water inlet T 36 is provided into the grid as indicated in FIG. 3 and the nozzle sections 35 are equipped with nozzles 37. It will be noted that some of the nozzles 37b are directed primarily in vertical fashion while others 37a spray more towards the horizontal in spray converging fashion. As

illustrated inFIG. 9., the upwardly directed nozzles strike and cleanse the upper and concave sections of the dishes while the lower nozzles 37a strike the lower portion of the dishes. Merely by way of example, it has been found that satisfactory results may be obtained by directing the nozzles 37b ten degrees olf vertical in converging fashion and the nozzles 37a twenty degrees above horizontal in converging fashion. Converging, as used in this sense, refers to corresponding nozzles on opposite sides of the grid. The sprays are preferably fan shaped in such a manner as to move across each dish in sweeping fashion as the nozzle assembly reciprocates.

As illustrated best in FIGS. 4 and 5, the nozzle drive assembly 40 comprises a motor 41 suitable mounted to the lower exterior surface of tub 21 or to another suitable support member within cabinet 11. The motor 41 has an eccentric link 42 aillxed thereto for rotation therewith. Eccentric link 42 is connected by means of conventional toggle linkage 43 to the hollow drive arm 44. Hollow drive arm 44 has a depending section 45 which is sealed and rotatably journaled through the bottom of tub 21. Aflixed to depending section 45 in perpendicular fashion is a lever section 26.

The extremity of lever section 46 and the water inlet T 36 is connected by means of a flexible conduit drive link. A stainless steel armor braided Teflon covered flexible hose has been found satisfactory for this purpose. The resultant connection is such that the incoming water is channeled from pump via tubing 87 to the depending section 45 of the hollow drive arm 44, then flows through the drive arm into the extremity of drive link 47, through drive link 47, into the nozzle grid 33 Via water inlet T 36 and out of nozzles 37.

When motor 41 is activated to rotate eccentric link 42, the linkage 43 toggles between the position shown in phantom and solid in FIG. 5 and, since it is connected to depending section 45 of hollow drive arm 44, the hollow drive arm 44 also oscillates between the position shown in phantom and solid lines in FIG. 5. This oscillation, or more accurately pendulationf of the drive arm 44 is transmitted to the nozzle grid 33 by means of the flexible and, yet rigid link 47 causing the nozzle grid to slide along rails 31 Via slide bearings 32 between the position shown in solid and phantom in FIG. 3. During this period, the flexible coupling 47 gains additional rigidity because lof its pressurized condition. As the grid 33 reciprocates, the water, detergent or the like being emitted from nozzles 37 progressively contacts each of the dish surfaces within the chamber to assure that they will be thoroughly clean.

The germicidal light assembly, indicated generally by the reference numeral 50 in FIG. 2, comprises a reflective hood 51 positioned behind window 23 in tub 21. Disposed in the concave so formed is a germicidal light element 52 capable of emitting radiation which is preferably in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum. All glass will not pass such radiation and, therefore, the glass 23 must be formed from any one of a number of well-known materials which will allow the radiation to pass through. Glass 22,4

on the other hand, is fabricated from glass which will not pass ultraviolet light in order to positively protect against the possibility of damage to the operators eyes or the like by random radiation emissions through the viewing window. Where the germicidal light assembly 50 is utilized, it is preferable that the interior of tub 21 and the lower portion of sink 71 be fabricated from a sporadic angular reflective surface such as brushed stainless steel. This causes the light rays to be randomly reected throughout the interior of the dishwashing chamber and, thus, insures that all sections will be exposed to the germicidal radiation. Of course, a conventional lighting element might be incorporated into the device Within hood 51 to illuminate the interior during loading and unloading of dishes therefrom. Such an element could he utilized either with or without the germicidal light assembly 50.

The chute assembly 60 and the cover and sink assembly 70 are described in detail in copending application Ser. No. 607,948, led J an. 9, 1967, previously referred to. Merely by way of environmental explanation, however, the chute assembly 60 comprises a cylindrical upright section 61 having an outwardly ared funnel portion 62. The chute assembly 60 is retained in position by `means of a retainer rack 63 a'ixed to the dish rack and an open space 64 is provided between its lower reach and the drain 24 of the tub 21 to permit water, food particles and the like to ow directly from the interior of the tub 21 into the drain without contacting the chute.

The cover and sink assembly 70 comprises a general purpose sink 71 having a drain 72 and conventional plug 73. Depending from the lower surface of sink 71 is a cylindrical shoulder 74 and the entire sink is carried by a support frame 75 which is hingedly mounted to the upper surface of cabinet 11 forward of the control panel 15 as indicated at 76. A sealing gasket 77 is provided for positively preventing water leakage during operation of the dishwasher when the sink is in its lowered, dishwashersealing position illustrated in FIG. 2. Latch 78 is provided for locking the cover assembly 70 into its sealed position. A conventional spigot assembly is provided afxed to cabinet 11 forward of control panel 15 for selectively supplying water to the sink 71.

The disposal and pump assembly 80, also described in detail in the noted copending application, comprises a common motor 81, a disposal 82 having a water inlet 83 and a drain 84, and a pump 85 having an inlet 86 and an outlet 87. Inlet 86 is connected directly to a fresh hot and cold water source 111 through solenoid assembly 110. The solenoids are activated selectively by the selector and timing unit 16 as will become apparent in connection with the description of FIG. 8, infra.

The pump 85 is preferably capable of generating water pressures in excess of 150 pounds per square inch against the nozzle grid and is connected in series directly between the water inlet source and the nozzle grid acssembly 23 via tubing 87, hollow drive arm 44 and the exible drive conduit 47. A detergent container 88, or the like, arranged to feed into the water lines at prescribed periods of time may be positioned conveniently behind the tub 21 adjacent spigot assembly 79 with an access cap formed either integrally therewith or adjacent thereto.

Merely by way of explanation, it will be noted that when the sink is in its horizontal use position, garbage pushed through the drain 72 passes through chute 60 directly into disposal 82 to be ground and fed from the unit via drain 84. When, on the other hand, the sink is in the upright position illustrated in FIG. l, the outwardly flared portion 62 furnishes a convenient funnel-type receptacle into which the garbage `may be scraped directly during loading of the dishwasher. The depending circular shoulder 74 tits loosely into the outwardly flared portion 62 of the chute when the sink is lowered. Thus, the sink may be utilized despite operation of the dishwasher for all conventional purposes as is more fully explained in copending application Ser. No. 607,948, led Jan. 9, 1967.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 6 and 7, the heater assembly 90 comprises a cylindrical jacket 91 having a water intake 92 in the side wall thereof toward one axial extremity. An outlet 93 is provided at the opposite extremity of jacket 91. An air bleed valve 94 and a safety pressure valve 95 are provided along the length of the jacket in conventional fashion.

An elongated heating element 96 is positioned within the jacket 91 and a thermostatic sensing unit 97 is positioned centrally of the heating element and adjacent the cold water intake 92. The sensing element 97 operates a relay 98 which selectively activates the power supply to heating element 96.

Positioned on the downstream side of heating element 96 (see FIG. 6) is the baffle unit indicated generally by the reference numeral 99. The baffle unit 99 comprises a generally circular plate having a plurality of radially extending tabs which are affixed to the interior wall of jacket 91. Plate 99 has a plurality of central apertures 100 and, because of the presence of the jacket abutting tabs, a plurality of peripheral apertures 101 about the radial periphery thereof. In order to reach the outlet 93, water must ow either through the apertures 91 or 101 in the baflle plate which effects a thorough mixing thereof to insure that all of the water emitted from the heating unit 90 will be of a relatively consistent temperature. A pair of mounting blocks 102 are provided in conjunction with jacket 91 for mounting the unit to the interior of the multi-purpose kitchen unit as illustrated in FIG. 2.

OPERATION The operation of the device will be discussed in connection with FIG. 8 which is a schematic representation of one suitable piping and wiring system. All of the operative components of the device are controlled from selector and timing unit 16. After the dishes have been loaded into chamber 20 and the lid assembly 70 closed, the tim-ing unit 16 is Iactivated to commence the washing cycle. Water is fed from the conventional household piping into a suitable mixer where proper amounts of hot and cold water are combined for the particular operation being conducted. This water passes to the pump Where it is pressurized to a level which, preferably, is in excess of 150 pounds per square inch. During the washing cycle, heater is bypassed and the water flows via conduit 87 (see FIG. 2) into the reciprocating nozzle grid assembly 33. As the motor 41 rotates, the hollow drive arm 44 pendulates and this pendulation is converted to nozzle reciprocation by means of the flexible drive coupling 47 as discussed previously. The fan-shaped jets of water emitted from nozzles 37a sweep across the lower sections of the dishes and the fan-shaped jets emitted from nozzles 37b sweep across the upper sections of the dishes as the assembly reciprocates (see FIG. 9). The jets from the side nozzles 38 (which may be conical) strike the exterior portions of the dishes on the rack during this procedure.

The high-pressure Water issues from the nozzles 37 in the form of a mist rather than in large droplets. As noted, the orifices of nozzles 37a and 37b are preferably such that the stream of emitted water is generally fanshaped and of such size that approximately three to ive gallons per minute of water issue from the nozzle assembly under the particular pump pressure being utilized. Best results, for example, have been obtained by utilizing a water pressure on nozzle grid assembly 33 in the neighborhood of 200-250 pounds per square inch.

The water emitted from the nozzles 37 strikes the dishes and the interior of the chamber and flows into the bottom of tub 21 Where it runs directly into drain 24 via space 64. During the initial Washing stages, timing unit 16 preferably activates the disposal 82 as well as the pump `85 such that food particles and the like washed from the dishes are immediately ground and passed into drain 84. If necessary, during this period as Well as Whenever the disposal 82 is operating, cold water may be fed into the disposal via inlet 83 under the influence of a suitable solenoid control to insure that all ground garbage will be washed away via drain 84.

Once the washing cycle has been completed, the water from the pump 85 is diverted through the booster heater 90 prior to its emission `from nozzle grid 30 into the interior of the dishwashing chamber. The water enters the heating unit at inlet 92 and is heated during its traverse through the jacket 91 by means of the heating element 96. Preferably, the jacket 91 is of sufficient capacity to hold approximately enough water at the initiation of the rinse cycle to complete the cycle and, therefore, the current drain resulting from the size of heating element 96 may be minimized. 1t may be desirable, for example, to activate the heating element prior to beginning of the rinse cycle such that the water contained within jacket 91 will already be hot. Despite the size of the jacket-like enclosure 91, however, the cold water flowing into the unit will be sensed by thermostat element 97 and the relay 98 activated in such a manner as to energize the heating unit 96 and, thus, bring the cold water owing into inlet 92 to the prescribed temperature prior to its emission from outlet 93. During this period, the bathe plate 99 functions to insure that no hot or cold water pockets which may have formed within the jacket will be emitted from the booster heating unit and, thus, the water emitting from outlet 93 will be substantially constant in temperature. It has been found, for example, that a rinse temperature of approximately 180 F. will provide satisfactory results.

Once the rinsing operation has been completed, the timing unit 16 activates the germicidal lamp assembly 50 and the interior of the dishwashing chamber 20 and the dishes disposed therein are subjected to the bacteria killing rays thereof. The presence of glass, which will not pass ultraviolet light, at forward viewing window 22 prevents these rays from being transmitted into the room surrounding the dishwasher unit. A safety switch, not shown, is provided for preventing activation of the element 52 when the cover assembly 70 is in its raised position. After the germicidal lighting unit 50 has been activated for a prescribed period of time, it will be turned oit automatically by the timing unit. The disappearance of the illumination at window 22, of course, will signal the operator that the Washing cycle has been completed and that the dishes may be removed, if desirable, from the unit. The latter process is accomplished, of course, by merely grasping latch 78 and raising the sink and cover unit 70 to the position shown in FIG. 1.

We claim:

1. In a dishwashing unit having a washing chamber and a rack for positioning dishes therein, the improvement comprising:

a nozzle assembly mounted for reciprocation across at least one wall of said chamber, said assembly having a plurality of nozzles mounted thereon directed toward said rack;

a pair of rails mounted within said chamber upon which said nozzle assembly is adapted to reciprocate;

a water carrying tubing member, a part of said nozzle assembly, slidably mounted on each of said rails and having a plurality of nozzles in water communicating relationship with respect to said tubing member;

iiexible conduit means for supplying water to said nozzle assembly as it reciprocates whereby' Water sprays toward said rack and dishes positioned thereon; and

means for reciprocating said nozzle assembly across said wall and including means for forcing and retracting said exible conduit means toward one of the boundaries of said wall and then retracting it toward a boundary opposite said one boundary of said wall, said tubing members reciprocating along a track formed by said rails under the inuence of said conduit means.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said nozzle assembly further compirses a closed polygonal tubing arrangement slidably axed at its opposite sides to said rails and wherein said conduit means is connected in water communicative relationship with respect to said tubing arrangement.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one wall is the bottom of said chamber.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least certain of said nozzles are directed generally vertically and at least others of said nozzles are directed at an angle towards the horizontal with respect thereto.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the jets of uid emitted from said certain nozzles and other nozzles are generally fan-shaped.

6. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said forcing and retracting means comprises:

a hollow arm adapted to carry water, one portion of said arm passing through said wall and having its extremity connected to a suitable water source, the other extremity of said arm being connected to said flexible conduit means; and

means for rotatably oscillating said one portion of said arm whereby the other portion of said arm pendulates and, thus, causes said tubular member to reciprocate via said flexible conduit.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein the rotatably oscillating and pendulating portions of said arm are disposed at right angles with respect to one another.

8. In a dishwashing unit having a washing chamber and a rack for positioning dishes therein, the improvement comprising:

a nozzle assembly mounted for reciprocation across at least one wall of said chamber, said assembly having a plurality of nozzles mounted thereon directed toward said rack;

means for reciprocating said nozzle assembly across said wall;

exible conduit means supplying water to said nozzle assembly as it reciprocates whereby said water sprays toward said rack and the dishes positioned thereon; and

means included in said reciprocating means for forcing said flexible conduit means toward one of the boundaries of said wall and then retracting it toward a boundary opposite said one boundary of said wall, said nozzle assembly reciprocating under the influence of said conduit means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,142,083 6/1915 Dodge 134-172 XR 1,508,495 9/1924 Bacharach 134-172 1,997,849 4/1935 Bargar.

2,143,165 1/1939 Olson 134-172 2,236,791 4/1941 Forsberg 134-172 XR 2,726,666 12/1955 Oxford 134-172 XR 2,827,064 3/1958 Heinicke 134-172 3,177,095 4/1965 Gibson 134-34 XR MORRIS O. WOLK, Primary Examiner B. S. RICHMAN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

